June 2021
From the President
As I write my last Communiqué, I took some time to reflect on the Memorial Day holiday weekend. I hope that each of you had a safe and enjoyable holiday and took time to remember all of those that made the ultimate sacrifice, representing our country so that we may remain free and able to pursue all the things we love.
The last 2 years as CAAHEP’s President have flown by. During that time, the CAAHEP family has faced some significant challenges including a major technology overall, submission of our self-study to CHEA for reaffirmation, and a global pandemic. It’s during the times when we are challenged the most that we find out what you’re (CAAHEP) made of. One thing that I have always said is that CAAHEP is indeed a family unit that stands by one another and is always there to help each other out in times of need. During both of these significant events, CAAHEP did not disappoint. In fact, I believe CAAHEP’s true colors shined bright and clear as we all pulled together, made sacrifices, faced adversity, and stayed true to our mission. Not only did we overcome potential barriers that were thrown our way, but we also pushed ahead meeting many goals within our 3-year strategic plan and ensuring that the mission of CAAHEP was being met.
Communication is a crucial element during times of normal operation and even more so during times when things are unsettled. The CAAHEP strategic plan had an objective for developing regular and ongoing communication with the CoAs. The timing of launching the new CoA Connections - a live monthly webinar - could not have been timelier. This new launch served as a direct (live) method for CoAs to learn more about the Board's recent decisions and engage with the CAAHEP staff and President. Another timely initiative related to the strategic plan was the development of a Distance Education (DE) Task Force. With the pandemic, most programs switched to some form of distance education to keep their programs moving forward. The Distance Education Task Force developed a “White Paper” and presented its findings to the Board. The paper explored the latest developments and best practices in DE which the Task Force is now examining how best to integrate some of the findings. Lastly, the International Accreditation Review Committee has been formally developed and will aid in the development of policy and review of our international programs. I also want to recognize the newly developed Recent Graduate Task Force. This task force is led by the Recent Graduate Commissioner and their latest assignment is to review and provide feedback on the CAAHEP website from a student perspective.
I have said this literally hundreds of times while serving on the CAAHEP Board, that “this is the most giving group that I’ve ever had the privilege of serving with.” I’ve served on numerous boards during my tenure, but this “family” truly shines when it comes to sharing ideas and helping one another across the whole organization of over 30 different professions and 2,200 programs. The CoAs, CAAHEP Staff, and the Board consist of very talented, intelligent, and unselfish individuals that truly believe and support the mission of CAAHEP.
Thank you all for giving me the privilege of serving as your President these past two years. Thank you to the Governance Committee for helping guide crucial decisions and a special thank you to Executive Director Kathy Megivern who will be retiring at the end of this year. Kathy, thank you for the decades of leadership you’ve provided CAAHEP. Now, I look forward to the great accomplishments ahead for CAAHEP as I pass the gavel to my colleague, Donald Balasa, and I serve out my final year on the Board of Directors.
God Bless and be well,
Glen
Glen Mayhew, DHSc, NRP
CAAHEP President
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May Board Meeting Wrap-up |
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The following activities took place at the May 21, 2021, CAAHEP Board of Directors Meeting. The Board elected officers for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The following individuals take office on July 1, 2021:
President: Donald Balasa, JD, MBA
Vice President: Jennifer Spegal, CMA (AAMA), MT, MEd
Treasurer: Catherine Carter, MA
Secretary: Fred Lenhoff, MA
President Mayhew presented the following list of individuals who will be appointed as members of the new International Accreditation Review Committee, a new standing committee of CAAHEP:
Cheryl Benn, Jennifer Anderson-Warwick, Gregory Frazer, George Hatch, Jackie Long-Goding, Keith Orloff, and Stephen Sonstein. This new Committee will be working on policy and forms for international programs to submit when seeking CAAHEP accreditation, along with procedures for these programs and Committees on Accreditation to follow when submitting the information to the Board of Directors.
The Board approved the proposed budget for CAAHEP's 2021-2022 fiscal year as well as the proposed Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Kinesiotherapy.
President Mayhew recognized two Board members rolling off of the Board, Barry Eckert, ASAHP Commissioner, and Glenda Carter, Public Member, and thanked them for their service to CAAHEP.
The accreditation actions taken at the meeting are listed below. Please direct any questions regarding the Board Meeting to Kathy Megivern.
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CoAEMSP Executive Director Recognized |
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In 2021, National EMS Week was held May 16-22 and it was fitting that the University of Houston chose this week to honor the CoAEMSP Executive Director, George Hatch, Jr., EdD, LP, EMT-P, (pictured on the right with CAAHEP President Glen Mayhew) with the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Houston College of Education for his outstanding leadership and contributions to EMS education.
An article posted on the University of Houston website relays how a harrowing accident George's father had when George was just a high school freshman, inspired him to take an EMT course in high school. Since that first EMT course, George has spent more than forty years in the field, the classroom, and in educational leadership positions.
Professor H. Jerome Freiberg, who nominated Hatch for the award, remembers when Hatch and a fellow student received a standing ovation at graduation in 2001 for becoming the first EMS educators in Texas to earn doctorates.
The article relates how George first worked as an EMT while attending the College of the Mainland in Texas City, and then as a Paramedic while at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He later was employed by the Houston Community College where he provided educational instruction on various levels to some 3,500 Houston Fire Department employees annually. At the age of 32, George enrolled at the University of Houston, where he spent twelve years taking night classes to earn his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees.
George oversees the largest Committee on Accreditation within CAAHEP, with nearly 700 education programs either already CAAHEP accredited or moving through the accreditation process.
CAAHEP joins the CoAEMSP in congratulating Dr. Hatch on this special recognition.
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The Superheroes of the CoAs |
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During the 2021 Virtual Annual Meeting, CAAHEP was honored to spotlight individuals nominated by their Committee on Accreditation (CoA) as their CoA's Superhero. These individuals and groups were recognized for their support of the CoA, sharing of their expertise, and dedication to excellence in health sciences education accreditation. Throughout 2021, CAAHEP is honored to spotlight these Superheroes in the Communique newsletter. Here is the third set of four Superhero Spotlights:
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Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Board |
LEAARC selected Becky Spencer, PhD, RN, IBCLC, as the CoA's Superhero! Becky was instrumental in leading the LEAARC COVID-19 Taskforce. The Taskforce created simulation templates that were shared with lactation education programs and courses, allowing faculty to adapt learning experiences for students when access to clinical education sites was restricted.
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National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education |
Robin Seabrook, the Executive Director of NCOPE, was selected as that CoA's Superhero. 2020 tested the core of every organization and educational institution forcing a complete paradigm shift in the delivery of the curriculum or patient care. In the profession of orthotics and prosthetics, the schools were met with the challenge to continue delivery of a curriculum even though campuses were closed in the Spring. Robin was instrumental in coordinating a plan to provide resources for the current students and residents and help prepare them for residency and accomplish graduation or residency standards. NCOPE amassed an incredible resource page that students were able to navigate to supplement their learning while in school or residency.
This action alone was an incredible undertaking, however, Robin had the added challenge to navigate all this while two of the long-time staff members of NCOPE resigned this past year. Robin absorbed the challenge of performing those duties left behind by those staff members, streamlined some of those duties for future staff members, and finished creating a better procedure for efficiency. It's Robin's passion for and dedication to NCOPE that makes her the CoA's Superhero!
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Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography |
The JRC-DMS nominated a dynamic duo as its Superheroes - Sheryl Goss and Cathie Rienzo.
Sheryl Goss has been and continues to be an extremely valuable and resourceful volunteer for the JRC-DMS. As Chair of the JRC-DMS Standards Subcommittee, she has guided the Standards revision process in every aspect since 2015. She conducted a webinar on the implementation of the revised DMS Standards with over 300 participants in attendance. She is actively working on developing a draft of a new self-study based on the revised Standards and has led many JRC-DMS education sessions including self-study reviewer and site visitor sessions. She is always available to answer any technical questions that come up and will always find the time to talk with a Program Director for advice.
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Cathie Rienzo has always been a valuable and resourceful volunteer for the JRC-DMS. In 2016 Cathie has helped develop a virtual site visit policy and has acted as the Virtual Site Visit Liaison in which she contacts programs to explain the requirements of a virtual site visit. With the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the JRC-DMS formed a Virtual Site Visit Task Force and appointed Cathie as Chair. Through her leadership, Cathie has expanded the virtual site visit policy, conducted virtual site visitor training, led virtual site visit webinars to programs, and helped facilitate question and answer sessions. Cathie is also active as a JRC-DMS site visitor and is always available to answer any technical questions or provide advice to Program Directors.
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Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy |
The Committee on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy recognizes Teresa Beck, Ph.D., CTRS, FDRT as our CoA's Superhero for her leadership and long-term commitment of service to CARTE. Dr. Beck has been a member of the CARTE Board of Directors since 2012. She has served as an educator representative from 2012 -2015, Vice-Chair from 2015-2017, Chair from 20-17-2019, and Past-Chair from 2019 to present. Dr. Beck has also served as CARTE’s Commissioner to CAAHEP, and as a site visitor for CARTE where she has chaired several site visit teams. Dr. Beck has represented CARTE by facilitating a number of educational sessions and self-study workshops at professional conferences both in the US and in Canada. She is employed as Associate Dean for the College of Health Professions, and a Professor in the Recreation Therapy Program at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Each profession in the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) system has a Committee on Accreditation (CoA) that consists of experts in the profession that are responsible for reviewing programs and making appropriate recommendations for accreditation to CAAHEP. CAAHEP reviews recommendations received from its CoAs in each profession, assures due process was followed and takes final action on an accreditation status.
CAAHEP took the following actions on May 21, 2021. Actions are identified by profession, action taken, date of the next comprehensive evaluation, and whether a progress report to improve program compliance is required. In some cases, the concentration and/or degree are also specified. Where possible, a link to each program's website is provided. To view a copy of the most recent accreditation award letter for a program, which includes information about the accreditation decision, visit the program’s listing on the Find An Accredited Program section of the CAAHEP website.
The following program was found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2025. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Perfusion
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2026. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography
Cardiovascular Technology
Hill College, Cleburne, TX (Adult Echocardiography, Associate)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Specialist Blood Bank Technology/Transfusion Medicine
The following program was found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and was granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2028. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Cardiovascular Technology
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2031. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Surgical Technology
The following programs were found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The programs were granted continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2026.
Cardiovascular Technology
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2026. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Cardiovascular Technology
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring
Neurodiagnostic Technology
Polysomnographic Technology
Surgical Technology
The following programs were found to be in compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines and were granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2029. These actions require no progress report and were approved on the consent agenda.
Art Therapy
The following program was found to be in substantial compliance with the accreditation Standards and Guidelines, with one or more Standards requiring a progress report to be submitted to the appropriate Committee on Accreditation (CoA). The program was granted initial accreditation with the next evaluation to occur no later than 2026.
Medical Assisting
The following program had a transfer of sponsorship approved, with a status of continuing accreditation, with the next comprehensive evaluation to occur no later than 2025. This action requires no progress report and was approved on the consent agenda.
Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic
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Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775-7709
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